Textile lubricant composition



United States Patent ce 3,1615% TEXTILE LUBRECANT COMPGSITION Charles C. White and Raymond E. Donaldson, both of Kingsport, Tenn, assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New .lersey No Drawing. Filed July 14, 1951,8er. No, 124,tl14 4 Claims. (Cl. 252-$.8)

This invention relates to a novel composition of matter for use in the textile art. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel antistatic and lubricating composition for treating textile fibers and to fibers treated therewith.

. Lubricants and like compounds are usually applied to textile fibers, filaments, yarns and "the like to reduce the tendency toward breakage of the individual filaments when they are subjected to various mechanical strains, and to lubricate the individualfilaments in order to facilitate handling in such operations as spinning, twisting, winding, reeling, drafting, weaving, carding, combing, and the like. i

Textile fibers tend to accumulate electrostatic charges during the various handling operations such as spinning, twisting, winding, and the like. The accumulation of electrostatic charges causes the fibers to become elect'rically repellent to one another and to become electrical- 1y attracted to the equipment on which they are handled.

As is known in the art, such a condition is highly undesirable in that it interferes substantially with the efiiciency and effectiveness of processing operations. Hence, there is usually incorporated into. a textile lubricant a compound that will reduce substantially or completely eliminate the tendency of the textile fibers treated therewith to accumulate the undesirable electrostatic charges during processing. Such compounds are usually referred to in the art as antistatic agents. The new synthetic resin fibers such as those prepared from polyester resins, polyamide resins, polyolefin resins,

andresins prepared by the polymerization and copolyrnerization of certain acrylic compounds have proved highly satisfactory for use in the textile industry. These fibers,

which normally have hydrophobic properties, are used in the manufacture of fabrics and like materials; Often, these hydrophobic fibers are blended or associated with hydrophilic fibers such as cotton, wool, viscose and the like to provide fabrics having certain desired properties.

Various lubricating and antistatic compositions have been proposed for treatment of the above-mentioned hydrophobic synthetic resin fibers. However, these compositions have not proved entirely satisfactory in use. 7

One particular problem involved in the use of known treating compositions is that, when hydrophobic fibers treated therewith are blended with hydrophilic fibers, the applied composition tends to migrate to the hydrophilic fibers leaving the hydrophobic fibers substantially devoid of antistatic protection and satisfactory frictional characteristics.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel composition of matter having both lubricating and antistatic properties for application to hydrophobic fibers, which composition will not migrate substantially to hydrophilic fibers with which the treated hydrophobic fibers are blended or associated.

Another object is to provide textile fibers treated with the novel composition of this invention.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

For a complete understanding of the nature and the objects of this invention, reference is made to the following detailed description.

Briefly, in accordance with this invention, there is proaisrsst Patented Dec. 15, 1964 ing antistatic properties and frictional properties.

Further, hydrophobic textile fibers treated with the composition of this invention can be blended with or associated with hydrophilic fibers such as cotton, wool, viscose and the like without any substantial migration of the applied composition or any of the components thereof to the hydrophilic fiber.

The novel antistatic and lubricating composition of this invention is comprised of (A) a compound selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of from 400 to 800, polyoxypropylene glycol having an average molecular weight of from about 400 to 800, methoxy polyoxyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of from about 400 to 800, and mixtures thereof, (B) polyoxyethylene glycol monolaurate wherein the polyoxyethylene glycol group has an average molecular weight of about 200, and (C) N,N-di(,8-hydroxyethyl) lauramide. Compound (B) is often referred to as polyoxyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate. Compound (C) is the amide derived from the reaction of stoichiomethric amounts of lauric acid and (A), (B) and (C), in the above range of proportions, has

proved highly satisfactory in use, other components can be incorporated therein if desired to give added properties or to improve to some degree the antistatic and lubricating properties thereof.

Thus, while the antistatic properties of the above base composition are highly satisfactory for most applications, the antistatic properties of this base, composition can be improved somewhat by the incorporation therein of polyoxyethylene lauryl amine wherein the polyoxyethylene group'has an average molecular weight of about 200, stearamidopropyl dimethyl fl hydroxyethyl ammonium nitrate, and mixtures thereof. The total amount of these compounds that can be conveniently incorporated into the base composition can be varied from about 5 percent to about 20 percent by weight based on the total weight of the base composition.

For those textile processing operations that require low fiber-to-metal frictional characteristics and high interfioer frictional characteristics, the base composition can be modified by the addition thereto of methoxyethyl palmitate in an amount equal to about 5 percent to 25 percent by weight based on the total weight of the base composition.

It has been determined also that dimethyl butynol, di-

methyl octynediol, and mixtures thereof in an amountequal to from about 3 percent to about 20 percent by weight based on the total weight of the base composition can be added to the base composition to provide for increased solubility of thecomponents which comprise the base composition, to provide a composition of lower viscosity, and to provide a composition having improved wetting power so that upon application to fibers it will spread more uniformly over the surfaces thereof.

Also, it has been determined that the antistatic and frictional characteristics of the base composition can be improved to some extent by adding thereto methoxyethyl a palmitate, diethylene glycol monoleate, and mixtures thereof. The amount of these compounds or mixtures thereof that can be conveniently incorporated into the base composition is from about percent to about percent by weight based on the total weight of the base composition.

The above enumerated compounds which comprise the base composition of this invention and their method of manufacture are well known in the art, and are available commercially. Also, the above enumerated ingredients or compounds that can be incorporated into the base composition to improve to some extent the properties thereof are well known in the art as are methods for preparing the same. Further, mixtures of two or more of the above enumerated components can be incorporated into the base composition if desired.

The novel composition of this invention can be conveniently applied to fibers, filaments, yarns, and the like as they emerge from the spinning cabinet in which they are formed. The compositions do not become tacky when subjected to the heat of heated processing rolls, and are color stable when processed on heated rolls. Further, they have no untoward effect on the fibers to which they are applied, and they do not undergo any chemical reactions with spinning solvents to form colored products that mar the desired shade of the fibers.

In preparing the novel lubricating and antistatic composition of this invention, the desired amount of the components thereof are mixed or blended together in any conventional manner such, for example, as by blending in a high-speed blender or by simple agitation with a motordriven stirrer.

The novel compositions of this invention are either completely soluble or completely dispersible in water depending on the water solubility of the components of which the desired formulation is comprised. Thus, the application of the novel composition of this invention to textile fibers is conveniently and preferably accomplished by employing water as a vehicle or a medium therefor. The aqueous solution or dispersion can be applied to textile fibers in any conventional manner such as by immersion, by wick application, by roll application, or by spraymg.

The aqueous solutions or suspensions of the novel compositions of this invention will usually comprise from about 5 to parts by weight of the novel composition and from about 95 to 75 parts by weight of water. Distilled water is preferred. The above proportions are not critical and can be departed from if desired. The pro portions set forth above proved highly satisfactory in use.

In applying an aqueous solution or suspension of the novel composition of this invention to hydrophobic textile fibers, it has been determined, by long experience, that the amount of antistatic and lubricating composition carried by a fiber, filament, or yarn lies within a relatively narrow optimum range. Below the range, insufiicient lubrication and antistatic properties are obtained, while above the range certain properties such as tensile strength and processability are adversely affected. The amount of antistatic and lubricating composition carried by the fibers can be within the range of from about 0.1 percent to 3 percent by weight of the weight of the fibers. It is preferred, however, that the applied antistatic and lubricating composition be within the relatively narrow range of firom about 0.1 percent to 1 percent of the weight of the bers.

The following examples are illustrative of this invention. Percentages given are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Example I Fibers treated in this example are staple polyester fibers prepared from poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate). Fibers of this type are available commercially under the proprietary name Kodel.

Fibers of this type are well known in the art and can be prepared in accordance with the teaching of Patent 2,901,466. These fibers are treated by immersion in an aqueous medium of the following composition:

The treated fibers are allowed to air dry or are placed in an oven maintained at a temperature of from about C. to C. for about an hour and substantially all the water is removed. The amount of applied composition is equal to about 0.3 percent by weight based on the weight of the fibers. The treated fibers are blended in a 50 percent-50 percent ratio with viscose staple fibers. The blend is carded and allowed to condition for two weeks. At the end of this period, static measurements indicated that the resulting fiber blend had excellent antistatic properties indicating substantially no migration of the applied composition to the hydrophilic viscose fibers.

Example II Example Ill The following composition, in an aqueous medium, is applied to staple polyester fibers similar to those described in Example I and evaluated in the same manner as described in Example I.

Percent Polyoxyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 600) 40 Polyoxyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate 25 N,N-di(fi-hydroxyethyl) lauramide 25 Polyoxyethylene 200 lauryl amine 10 The treated polyester fibers are blended in a 50 percent- 50 percent ratio with viscose fibers and aged for two weeks. Test results indicate excellent antistatic properties of the blend at the end of this period indicating substantially no migration of the composition to the hydrophilic viscose fibers. The amount of applied composition is about 0.3% by weight of the weight of the fibers.

Example IV Polyester staple fibers similar to those described in Example I are treated with the following composition in an aqueous medium:

Percent Polyoxyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 600) 34 N,N-di(fl-hydroxyethyl)lauramide 25.5 Polyoxyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate 25 .5 Stearamidopropyl dimethyl-B-hydroxyethyl ammonium nitrate 15 The treated polyester fibers are blended with viscose fibers in a 50 percent-50 percent blend and the resulting blend is subjected to a carding operation. Excellent control of static is obtained during this operation. Excellent frictional characteristics are obtained also. The amount of composition applied in this example is about 0.4% by Weight of the weight of the fibers.

Example V The following composition, in an aqueous medium is applied to polyester fibers of the type described in Examplc I and in accordance with the procedure of Example 1:

The applied composition, in an amount of about 0.4%, by weight of the weight of the fibers, gives excellent antistatic properties to the treated fibers. Further, blends of this treated fiber with hydrophilic fibers have excellent antistatic properties after the blend is aged for about two weeks. The wetting properties and antistatic characteristics of the above composition are slightly better than those of the composition of Example I.

Example Vl The following compos'tion, in an aqueous medium, is applied to polyester staple fibers similar to those described in Example I and in a manner similar to that described in Example I.

' Percent Polyoxyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 600) N,N-d-i(B-hydroxyethyl) lauramide 20 Methoxy ethyl palmitate Diethylene glycol monooleate 15 Polyoxyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate The treated fibers are tested in the same manner as described in Example I and are found to have highly satisfactory antistatic properties and frictional properties.

Example VII The composition of Example I is applied to cellulose acetate fibers and in the manner described in Example I.

The amount of composition applied is about 0.4% by weight of the weight of the fibers, The treated fibers retain excellent antistatic and frictional properties after two weeks of aging.

While in the above examples staple fibers are employed, it is to be understood that equally satisfactory results are obtained when continuous filament fibers are treated in a similar manner.

The novel antistatic and lubricating composition of this invention is adapted particularly for the treatment of synthetic resin fibers having hydrophobic properties and in particular those hydrophobic synthetic resin fibers prepared from polyester resins, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyacrylates. Specific polyolefin fibers that can be treated in accordance with this invention are those prepared from polyethylene and polypropylene.

Other textile fibers, filaments, yarns and the like that can be treated with the antistatic and lubricating composition of this invention include those prepared from the organic acid esters of cellulose such as cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose acetate propionate.

Fibers, filaments, yarns and the like treated with the novel composition of this invention are prow'ded with substantial antistatic protection for prolonged periods of time. The buildup of electrostatic charges on the treated fibers is substantially eliminated. As previously set forth, one of the primary advantages of the novel composition of this invention is that it does not migrate to hydrophilic fibers when hydrophobic fibers treated with the composition are blended with or associated with hydrophilic fibers during textile processing steps, thereby providing for substantially continued control of'static and frictional properties during subsequent textile processing operations.

The compositions of this invention provide for highly satisfactory fiber-to-fiber and fiber-to-metal frictional properties of the treated fibers during processing. They do not corrode textile equipment and have no toxic elfects.

The above description and examples are illustrative of this invention and not in limitation thereof.

We claim:

1. A textile lubricant composition especially adapted for the lubrication of hydrophobic fibers consisting principally of 20-60 parts of a polyoxyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 400-800; 1040 parts of polyoxyethylene glycol monolaurate wherein the polyoxyethylene group has a molecular weight of about 200; 10-40 parts of N,N-di(beta-hydroxyethyl)lauramide, and 5-20% by weight of stearamidopropyl dimethyl-betahydroxyethyl ammonium nitrate.

2. A textile material comprising a blend of hydrophobic textile fibers and hydrophilic fibers, the hydrophobic textile fibers having .a coating of the textile lubricant composition defined in claim 1.

3. A textile material comprised of a blend of viscose fibers and polyester fibers, the polyester fibers having a coating of the textile lubricant composition defined in claim 1.

4. A textile lubricant composition particularly adapted for lubricating hydrophobic resin fibers consisting of the following ingredients: polyoxyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 600'-34%; N,N-di(betahydroxyethyl) lauramide-25.5%; polyoxyethylene glycol monolaurate wherein the polyoxyethylene group has a molecular weight of about ZOO-45.5%; and steal-- amidopropyl dimethyl-beta-hydroxyethyl ammonium ni- Kate-15%.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Polyethylene Glycol Esters, Kessler Chemical Co., Inc., Phila., Pa., copyright 1948 (Pp- 9, 24, and 25).

Carbowax, Polyethylene glycols, Carbide and Carbon Chem. Co., (Copyright 1952) (pages 8 and 16).

Synthetic Organic Chemicals, Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Co., NY. (Copyright 1952) (pp. 50 and 56). 

1. A TEXTILE LUBRICANT COMPOSITION ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE LUBRICATION OF HYDROPHOBIC FIBERS CONSISTING PRINCIPALLY OF 20-60 PARTS OF A POLYOXYETHYLENE GLYCOL HAVING AN AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF 400-800; 10-40 PARTS OF POLYOXYETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOLAURATE WHEREIN THE POLYOXYETHYLENE GROUP HAS A MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF ABOUT 200; 10-40 PARTS OF N,N-DI(BETA-HYDROXYETHYL)LAURAMIDE, AND 5-20% BY WEIGHT OF STEARAMIDOPROPYL DIMETHYL-BETAHYDROXYETHYL AMMONIUM NITRATE. 